The Marauders: The Beginning
by sunshinedreamer57
Summary: One-Shot. MWPP. The Marauders were infamous for their close friendship and loyalty to Gryffindor. It had to start somewhere; so they defy the odds and argue with the Sorting Hat, becoming friends along the way. No pairings.


**Although this was a very unexpected story, I own nothing you recognize.**

A family of four walked briskly through the train station. The woman was undeniably beautiful with her high cheekbones, dark eyes, and sleek dark hair. The man, her husband, was handsome, at least in the pureblood standards. He was tall and held himself with pride with an aristocratic nose and the same dark hair and eyes, well nearly the same, as his wife. The two children—boys, one of age eleven and the other barely younger at age nine—walked slightly ahead of their parents. The elder one pushed a trolley that held a magnificent wooden trunk. He was tall for his age and dark haired and undeniably handsome like his parents. He inherited his father's aristocratic nose and his mother's high cheekbones, but his eyes were not dark; they were the most piercing shade of gray. The younger boy was almost the spitting image of him, but he was rather shorter with the same dark eyes as his parents and lacked his mother's high cheekbones.

"Hurry along, Sirius, you would not fancy missing the train," the woman said to the eldest boy, who had slowed his pace a little bit to look around him.

"Sorry, Mum."

"It's just the nerves, I would reckon, Walburga," the man said, his voice booming loud just as any prominent member of the pureblood society would.

"Sirius has nothing to worry about, Orion, and you know that," Walburga replied, looking sharply at her husband. "He is the heir to the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black; students and teachers alike will honor him."

Sirius resisted the urge to roll his eyes. He was not fond of his parents' beliefs but did not want to voice his opposing opinion.

"You'll write, won't you, Sirius?" the younger boy asked his older brother uncertainly.

Sirius smiled at his brother.

"Of course, Reg, every week," he assured him.

That seemed to satisfy the younger brother.

"Regulus, Sirius, do not go any farther," Walburga instructed the two boys.

The two obeyed immediately.

"Why, Mum?" Sirius questioned, looking back at his parents.

Orion and Walburga held the same look of disdain on their otherwise distinguished faces.

"_Those_ are the _Potters_," Walburga said, her voice icy.

Sirius looked to where his mum had nodded. It was a family of three. The woman, obviously elderly, was tall with fiery red hair, hazel eyes, and the posture of a pureblood. Her husband, Sirius assumed, was also obviously elderly with messy black hair, lightened blue eyes concealed behind sophisticated glasses, and laugh lines on his otherwise handsome boyish face. The boy was around Sirius's own age, as he was also pushing a trolley with a dark wooden trunk and a beautiful black owl in a cage. He was tall and thin with his mother's hazel eyes and glasses and hair similar to his father.

"Don't encourage him, Harold!" the woman reprimanded her husband.

Harold flashed his wife an innocent grin.

"You're telling me, Ruth, to not encourage James?" Harold had asked with an exasperated tone in his voice. "The boy's going to Hogwarts! He should be encouraged to have _fun_."

Ruth rolled her eyes, attempting to disagree with her husband.

"Besides, Ruth, I highly doubt James will take me seriously and drop a few dungbombs in the dungeon toilets," Harold replied.

"But he's _your_ son, Harold! Of course he will take your advice seriously!"

Harold smiled in response and bent down to whisper something in his son's ear.

Sirius heard his mother huff in disgust.

"Best to not associate with the boy, Sirius," she instructed. "The Potters are a bunch of muggle-lovers and not worthy of any affliction to the Black heir."

Sirius only pretended to head his mother's instructions. He was secretly trying to decide how to best introduce himself to James and begin an indestructible friendship full of mischief and fun.

"As soon as the _Potters_ make their way through the barrier, we shall also," Orion said.

"Actually, dear, I would rather another family go through; I do not wish to even be that near a _Potter_," Walburga countered.

"Very well," Orion resigned.

The three Potters disappeared into the barrier between nine and ten as another family of three approached it cautiously. It was obvious the three of them were at least half bloods, as neither of them were the least bit wary of the barrier. The woman was short with long and rich brown hair, kind amber eyes, and a heart shaped face. She was holding the hand of her husband, the two obviously not that aged. Her husband was a tall man with a strong jaw, light blue eyes, and a thick head of sandy blond hair. Their son was eleven, as evident from his fairly new trunk that was resting on the trolley he was pushing. He looked a lot like his father, with the same sandy blond hair and strong jaw, but he had his mother's amber colored eyes.

"You did remember everything didn't you, Remus?" the woman asked her son uncertainly.

"Yes, Mum," he replied.

"I'm sure whatever he's forgotten we will find when we get home, Salena," the man said fondly to his wife.

"You're right, John," she agreed, ruffling her son's hair lovingly, "and we'll have to owl it before he's even sorted."

"Well, if we don't go through this barrier, we won't have to worry about owling him anything," John pointed out.

Salena and Remus laughed.

"Give me your trolley, Remus, and you and Salena can go on through."

Remus obeyed before taking his mothers hand. The two of them walked swiftly to the barrier and did not slow down when they reached it. John crossed the barrier a few steps behind them.

"Oh, the sight of them," Walburga said in disdain.

"I know, dear," Orion said sympathetically. "The whole lot of them should not be allowed at Hogwarts."

The four of them began to advance on the barrier, but another family of four arrived at it first. The woman was remarkably pretty but had the telltale signs of a muggleborn witch. Her hair was an elegant shade of strawberry blonde that seemed to flow halfway down her back in a waterfall of hair, and her eyes were a deep shade of chocolate brown. Her husband was a tall, heavy built man. He had a balding head of dark hair and light green eyes that were concealed behind eyeglasses. The girl was sixteen and pushing a trolley with a light wooden trunk. She was tall and looked remarkably like her mother. Her strawberry blonde hair was cut short and her eyes were the same chocolate color as her mother's were. Her brother, however, was built like their father. He had mousy brown hair, as though it had failed to decide to mimic either his father's or his mother's hair color and settled for the color in between, and watery blue eyes. He was five years younger than his older sister, his fairly new school trunk labeling him as a first year.

"Cynthia, Peter, there's no need to hurry," their mother said to the two of them who were eagerly eyeing the barrier.

"Dorothy, you should know better than to tell those two to be patient," her husband said to her with laughter clearly in his voice.

"They certainly got their lack of patience from _your_ side of the family, Douglass," Dorothy replied.

"Mum, do you think Peter will be in Hufflepuff with me?" Cynthia asked uncertainly.

"I don't want to be in Hufflepuff," Peter replied indignantly for his mother.

"Then where do _you_ want to be?" Cynthia challenged.

"Anywhere but in Hufflepuff with you."

"Cynthia, Peter, that's enough," Douglass reprimanded his children. "Now, Cynthia, go on through the barrier."

Cynthia narrowed her eyes at her younger brother before obeying her father.

"Peter, you next."

Peter walked through the barrier followed closely by his parents.

"Oh, the likes of such people," Orion said scornfully as he watched the family disappear through the barrier. "Not one of any of those people should call themselves wizards."

Sirius rolled his eyes after making sure his back was to his parents.

"We had better hurry before someone else decides to cross onto the platform," Orion continued.

"Well, go on, Sirius," Walburga commanded.

Sirius hesitated slightly. Although he was a pureblood, he was slightly wary of the solid-looking barrier. Taking a deep breath, he pushed his trolley confidently towards it and closed his eyes at the last second. He opened them to find a magnificent scarlet engine billowing smoke with the name "The Hogwarts Express" written boldly across the front.

"What do you think, son?" Orion asked him, laying his big hand on Sirius's shoulder possessively.

"It's brilliant," Sirius replied excitedly.

Walburga grimaced at the casualness of Sirius's response.

"Where is your manners, Sirius?" she asked sharply.

"I think, my dear wife, that even I faltered the first time I laid my eyes on this train," Orion replied in defense of Sirius.

Walburga inclined her head, albeit disapprovingly.

"Over there is Abraxas Malfoy's son, Lucius; he is starting his final year this year," Orion said, pointing Lucius out to Sirius. "You would do well to make friends with him, Sirius."

Sirius resisted the urge to roll his eyes as he looked towards the blond haired seventh year his father was pointing to.

"And there is Narcissa, of course," Orion pointed out his niece unnecessarily. "She is in her sixth year."

Sirius waited patiently for his father to point out every pureblood worth associating with, silently noting to avoid everyone of he named.

"Sirius, dear, do well and write us once you are sorted into your family's house," Walburga instructed, the tone of her voice warning him to not be sorted into any house other than Slytherin.

Sirius offered his mother a smile and hoped it did not appear as fake as it felt.

"Well, on with you then," she hurried him away.

Sirius did not hesitate to leave his family and climb onto the Hogwarts Express, only looking back to wave at his brother.

The train was already full of students who were either saying their last goodbyes to their families or avoiding their families. Sirius was actually proud he belonged in the latter group. He pushed his way through the crowded hallway in search of an empty compartment and finally found one near the back of the train. He went in and shut the door behind him, the muffled sounds comforting his slightly jumpy nerves.

No sooner than he had closed the door behind it did it open again. Sirius whipped around, preparing himself to kick the intruder out but the words froze in his throat.

"Do you mind? Everywhere else is either full or boring," James asked, the tinge of uncertainty sounding foreign in his otherwise confident voice.

Sirius shrugged and motioned for James to sit down. The two sat opposite of each other.

"James Potter," James introduced himself, offering his hand.

Sirius hesitated, knowing that this was his one chance to gain a friendship with James.

"Sirius… Black."

James furrowed his eyebrows but grasped Sirius's hand in a firm handshake nonetheless.

"And here I thought you were decent," James said, the hint of scorn in his voice that sounded too much like Sirius's own mother for Sirius's liking.

"And here I thought you were unbiased," Sirius shot back, his defiance for the tone of James's last comment giving his own voice more than just a touch of sarcasm. "You being a Potter and all."

James smirked in a way that clearly read he was impressed by Sirius's reply.

"Apparently, like you, I'm not much living up to my name," James replied.

Sirius smiled his pureblood smile and knew that he had indeed gained the friendship of James.

"What would your dear parents say if they knew you were sharing a train compartment with the heir to the blood traitor family of Potter?" James asked, both of them finding amusement in the idea.

"I reckon about the same thing your parents would say if they knew you were sharing a train compartment with the heir to the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black."

James inclined his head, agreeing with Sirius.

"Well, actually, scratch that," Sirius said before amending his previous statement. "I don't reckon your parents know half of the colorful language mine do."

"You do have a point," James agreed, "but Mum _is _a red head."

"All the Potter women are," Sirius replied.

"You know this?"

"Our families have been enemies since Merlin's time, of course I know every excruciating detail of the Potter family," Sirius said with a slight hint of sarcasm in his voice.

Picking up on that hint, James raised his eyebrows in question.

"Alright, so maybe I don't know _every _excruciating detail of the Potter family, but it's just that obvious."

The door slid open a second time and both boys looked up.

"Pardon me, but do you mind if I join you?" the sandy blond haired boy from the train station asked.

"As long as you don't mind the fact that the heir to the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black and the heir to the blood traitor family of Potters are sitting and actually conversing like normal wizards," James replied.

The boy raised his eyebrows in surprise.

"I'm Sirius Black and that's James Potter," Sirius introduced the two of them while patting the seat beside of him for the boy to sit down.

"Remus Lupin," he replied formally, sitting down and resisting the urge to grimace in discomfort. "Aren't the Blacks and Potters century long enemies?"

To Remus's surprise, both James and Sirius laughed.

"Pretty much," Sirius replied, "and other than James's earlier comment, we're defying the odds."

"You sound proud of that, Sirius," James noted.

Sirius shrugged.

"Did I mention I don't agree with my _dear_ parents?"

"I assumed as much," James replied.

Before any of them could continue their conversation, the door opened yet again.

"Arg! Why couldn't I have been an only child?" the other boy Sirius had seen on the platform asked in annoyance.

"Personally, I often ask myself why I couldn't have been _someone else's_ child," Sirius replied, using humour to distract the boy from his anger.

It worked. The boy laughed embarrassed.

"Sorry," he apologized, his chubby face glowing scarlet. "It's just my sister won't shut up. She's annoying."

Sirius grimaced in sympathy.

"Been there, mate," Sirius said to him. "I'm Sirius, er, Sirius Black."

Something that could be identified as fear flashed across the boy's face.

"I'm not like them," Sirius said, his voice leaving no room for any doubt. "I mean, this bloke is James Potter, and Merlin knows our families are enemies."

The boy smiled nervously in the direction of James.

"And this is Remus Lupin."

The boy gave Remus the same smile he gave James.

"I'm Peter Pettigrew, no relation whatsoever to Cynthia Pettigrew."

The other three laughed as James nodded to the seat beside of him.

"Sit down, Peter who is not related to Cynthia."

Peter sat down.

"So what houses are you guys hoping to be in?" Peter asked.

James did not hesitate in his answer.

"Gryffindor; that's where my dad was—well, my whole family was."

Sirius laughed cynically at the last few words James said.

"My family's been in Slytherin for as long as Slytherin itself has existed," Sirius replied in the same cynical tone his laughter had contained. "Not me, though. I don't want to be in there with my dark arts loving family."

"Where do you want to be?" Remus asked.

"Don't care as long as it's not Slytherin. Actually, Gryffindor sounds like the house for me."

James smiled widely.

"Good, 'cause I can't have my best friend in the snake house."

Sirius laughed.

"What house do you want to be in, Remus?"

Remus thought about his answer for a moment.

"My mum was in Ravenclaw and my dad was in Gryffindor. It'd be nice to be in one of those houses. What about you, Peter?"

"Not Hufflepuff," he said, his voice laced with annoyance, "but I think I'd like Gryffindor."

"Can you imagine all four of us in Gryffindor causing mayhem?" James asked excitedly.

"Causing mayhem?" Peter asked uncertainly.

"Yep," James nodded. "My dad gave me this wicked idea to drop some dungbombs in the toilets of the dungeons."

"Your dad gave you this idea?" Sirius asked, amazed.

"Yep, Mum didn't like that too much…" James trailed off, smiling.

"It's a million wonders why," Remus said, although there was amusement laced in his voice.

"I know," James said sincerely.

Remus laughed before standing up and walking over to the trunk he had left in the doorway when he entered. He rummaged through it and pulled out a tattered wizard's chessboard.

"You guys play?" he asked.

Sirius and Peter both shook their heads, but James eyed the board hungrily.

"Only everyday!" James replied in the same excited voice he had previously used while talking about the dungbombs.

Remus and James began a long and brutal game of wizard's chess as Peter and Sirius watched. Time passed by quickly as the four forged a friendship and exchanged their fondest memories.

* * *

The beginning of nightfall fell upon them before any of them realized it and the Hogwarts Express applied it's brakes while the four of them struggled into their school robes.

"Firs' years! Follow me!" a giant of a man with a long, dark straggly beard called out on the platform. He towered over everyone and held a lantern up as he repeated himself until every first year was on his or her way to the boats. "No more'n four t' a boat!"

Sirius climbed into one of the boats with the help of James and sat beside of him. Remus and Peter quickly followed and sat down behind them. Once everyone had gotten into a boat, the boats started gliding across the water magically without the help of oars, and within minutes the magnificent castle of Hogwarts was visible.

Sirius felt his breath catch in his throat upon his first sight of the ancient castle. It was marvelous, and the reflection on the lake made it that much more beautiful. Sirius glanced to his right and saw the awe expression on James's face, an expression that looked foreign on his otherwise self-assured face. Gasps from behind him told Sirius that both Remus and Peter's responses were similar to his and James': disbelief and astonishment.

The boat ride across the lake was shorter than Sirius would have imagined it to be, and the giant man soon lead them up the front steps of Hogwarts and through the huge wooden doors. At the top of the staircase just inside of the entrance was a stern-looking woman. She was tall, adorned in dark robes and a pointy hat that concealed her dark hair that she kept twisted into a tight bun on the back of her head. Her eyes were beady with a pair of square glasses to look through and gave her a stern demeanor.

"They're all yers, P'fesor McGonagall," the giant man said.

"Thank you, Hagrid," she replied.

Hagrid nodded goodbye and walked through the doors behind Professor McGonagall.

"Welcome to Hogwarts," she said to the group, her voice leaving no room for anyone to interrupt. "You are about to enter those doors and be sorted into one of the four houses: Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. While you are at Hogwarts, your house will be like your family. Any misconduct will lose your house points, and any good behavior will earn your house points; whichever house has the most points at the end of the year will win the House Cup. Now, if you would follow me, we will enter the Great Hall."

She walked briskly through the doors she had referred to and all the first years followed. Once they entered the Great Hall, they walked two at a time between the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff tables. Sirius walked beside of James, and in front of Remus and Peter.

They came to a stop just before the High Table as McGonagall stood beside of a three-legged stool that an old wizard's hat sat upon. Sirius looked over at Remus and James in awe, elbowing Peter in the side.

"This is wicked!" he whispered excitedly to him.

Peter smiled ecstatically in agreement.

The hat was visibly tattered and even more visibly aged.

"What do you think it's going to do?" Peter whispered.

Sirius shrugged and was about to verbally reply to Peter's question when the hat seemed to tear at the brim and began, much to every first years' surprise, to sing.

_"It was just a thousand years ago_

_When I was newly sewn_

_I was given a brain_

_And the knowledge of all that was known._

_I was set upon this stool_

_And instructed to place_

_Thousands and thousands of young minds_

_Into the appropriate space._

_Sly Slytherin _

_And bold Gryffindor_

_Were the best of friends_

_Of the four._

_Wise Ravenclaw _

_And Loyal Hufflepuff_

_Made it through _

_All the rough._

_But the men_

_Had a dispute_

_The caused a rift_

_To take root._

_Old Salazar left this castle_

_But not before_

_I was given the task_

_To sort those t__hat have a magical core._

_In Gryffindor— _

_The bold and the brave_

_And those ambitious and pure_

_Slytherin will take._

_Those that were wise_

_Ravenclaw favored_

_Those that were loyal_

_Hufflepuff savored._

_So place me on your head_

_I shall tell you where_

_In each of the four houses_

_Will treat you fair._

"Abbott, Claire," Professor McGonagall called out.

Sirius watched as the first student of his year—a short blonde girl with dark brown eyes and the air of a pureblood—took a seat on the stool. Professor McGonagall lowered the Sorting Hat onto her head.

"HUFFLEPUFF!" the hat screamed not even five seconds after it touched her head.

She jumped up, ecstatic, and walked briskly to the cheering Hufflepuff table.

"Aires, Nicholas," Professor McGonagall called out.

The sorting continued. Two students were sorted into Ravenclaw, one in Slytherin, and one in Hufflepuff.

"Black, Sirius," Professor McGonagall called out, a shadow of scorn flashing briefly across her otherwise neutral expression.

Sirius walked forward, very aware of the whispering around him. The heir of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black had finally made it to Hogwarts and was mere seconds away from fulfilling his family's expectations. He sat down at the stool and caught sight of his cousin Narcissa. She was hanging on the arm of Lucius, the pureblood Sirius's father was so proud of Narcissa for dating. Her expression was blank at first glance, but underneath it Sirius could see Narcissa doubting Sirius's alliance to the Black family and the house of Slytherin. He knew she was expecting him to prove her right and be sorted into another house other than Slytherin.

The hat dropped on his head, shielding his eyes from farther scanning the student body for more of his family members anxiously awaiting the placement of the heir.

"_Ah, I do believe the long awaited heir to the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black has came at last,"_ the Sorting Hat said.

Sirius rolled his eyes.

"_I sorted everyone in your family, and they were all easy to decide, even your dear cousin Andromeda," _the Hat continued, ignoring Sirius's response, _"but you're different. I would like very much to place you in Slytherin; everything about you screams "Slytherin!" but I fear you're too… _brave_ to excel well in there."_

"_Gryffindor," _Sirius thought, wishing nothing more than for the Sorting Hat to place him there. _"Or anything really; just not Slytherin."_

Sirius knew his family, as well as the majority of the student population was curious as to why the Hat was taking so much time with him.

"_Gryffindor?_" the Hat repeated. _"Do you not fear you're too green and silver for scarlet and gold? That you're too much of a snake for the lions? Too much of water for fire?" _

Sirius thought nothing in reply, letting the Sorting Hat's words sink in. The Hat stayed quiet while he considered this. Sirius sighed.

"_Ah, apparently you do not fear this," _the Sorting Hat continued, _"or rather you like to think you do not fear this."_

"_Just not Slytherin,"_ Sirius thought in response, hoping the Sorting Hat would at least give him that much.

"_And that's why you would excel in…_GRYFFINDOR!"

Professor McGonagall pulled the hat off of his head, and Sirius looked up. Somewhere deep within her stern beady eyes Sirius saw approval and respect. Sirius grinned nervously and looked out across the Great Hall. Everyone sat in stunned silence. The heir of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black had been sorted a Gryffindor. Sirius searched for Narcissa, curious to know her reaction. She was still staring at him, but her expression was no longer blank; it was twisted into a mix between disapproval, betrayal, satisfaction, and a small bit of admiration.

The Great Hall was still in stunned silence when Sirius stood up off of the stool. He took three awkward steps in the direction of the Gryffindor table and realized he should not have fought against being a Slytherin. Had he been a Slytherin, everyone in the Great Hall would be clapping and Professor McGonagall would have already moved onto the next person; a Black getting sorted into Slytherin was not an unusual occurrence. A Black getting sorted into Gryffindor, however, was enough of an anomaly to stun everyone into silence.

Just when Sirius was about to bolt from the Great Hall, two Gryffindor students stood up and started clapping. They were both at least fifth years, as evident from their Prefect badges on their chests. The girl was beautiful. Her hair was long, elegant, and dark, and her eyes were light blue. She had an air about her that screamed pureblood, but not the type of pureblood Sirius was used to; she was more of James's type of pureblood. The boy was also good looking. His hair was curly brown and his eyes were chocolate brown. He was also a pureblood, but, like the girl, Sirius could not place which one.

Pretty soon the entire Gryffindor table had joined the two of them in clapping and eventually the majority of the school did as well. That gave Sirius the confidence he needed to continue walking to the Gryffindor table. The noise was deafening in Sirius's ears as he sat down at the table beside of the boy that had stood up and clapped. He patted Sirius on the back.

"Welcome to Gryffindor, Sirius Black!" the girl, who stood across from the boy, welcomed him.

Sirius grinned as the two sat down and the applause died down. Professor McGonagall called out another name.

"I'm Frank, Frank Longbottom," the boy introduced himself, offering his right hand for a handshake.

"And I'm Alice MacDougal," the girl added. "We're your Gryffindor Prefects."

"That is good to know," Sirius said, the pureblood manners that had been drilled into him were shining through.

The two looked at him oddly.

"You know, you've been in Gryffindor for just a few minutes and already you're probably the bravest Gryffindor to ever walk these halls," Frank said.

"Even Godric himself can't say that," Alice added.

Sirius smiled nervously at the two of them, and they returned their attentions to the sorting ceremony.

"Evans, Lily," became the first female Gryffindor and a few names later, Professor McGonagall called out, "Lupin, Remus."

Remus walked forward to the stool on shaky legs and sat down. Before he had a chance to gaze out across the Great Hall, Professor McGonagall dropped the Sorting Hat onto his head.

_"Well, well, well, what do we have here?"_

Remus jumped, startled by the foreign voice in his head.

"_A smart young lad with a secret of all secrets,"_ the Sorting Hat said in his head.

Remus panicked.

"_Please don't say anything,"_ Remus begged him.

The Sorting Hat laughed.

"_You have my word. Now where to put you? Ravenclaw would do you well, but I sense you'd rather be in Gryffindor…Is that it? Yes… _GRYFFINDOR!"

Remus exhaled the breath he was not aware that he had held. The hall burst into cheers, the Gryffindor table yelling louder than the others. Remus walked to it and sat down beside of Sirius.

"I knew you wouldn't leave me for the smarties," Sirius said happily.

Remus shot him a smile.

"Just like I knew you wouldn't leave me for the snakes?" he questioned

"Exactly like that. We have to cause mayhem. James and Pete had better be in Gryffindor," Sirius said.

"I dunno about James, mate," Remus said solemnly. "Just before I got sorted he was going on about rethinking wanting to be in Gryffindor."

Sirius's face fell, and Remus laughed.

"That was not funny, Remus Lupin," Sirius said indignantly.

"Yeah, it kind've was, Sirius Black."

Sirius huffed as Professor McGonagall called out, "Pettigrew, Peter."

Peter walked to the stool and sat down. A second later, Professor McGonagall placed the Sorting Hat on his head.

"_I just sorted your sister a few years ago, Peter,"_ the Sorting Hat said. _"She done well in Hufflepuff and I believe you would fair well there also. I see that you would rather be somewhere else, but Hufflepuff would be the best placement for you… No? Ok… _GRYFFINDOR!"

Peter sighed in relief and walked quickly to the Gryffindor table, sitting across from Sirius.

"Potter, James."

James walked forward, almost laughing at the expression hidden on Professor McGonagall's face of apprehension. She was good friends with Harold and Ruth Potter and was very aware of James's streak of mischievousness. He sat down on the stool. She thrust the hat onto his head not even a fraction of a second later.

"GRYFFINDOR!" the Hat bellowed without saying anything to James.

James jumped up, resisting the urge once again to laugh at the look of alarm mixed with satisfaction on Professor McGonagall's face. He walked quickly to the Gryffindor table and sat between Peter and Lily.

"Causing mayhem in Gryffindor just like we said, mates!" James announced happily.

Professor McGonagall called out, "Snape, Severus."

Sirius watched as a stringy looking boy with greasy long dark hair and dark eyes walked to the stool and sat down. The Hat had not much more than touched his head before it screamed out, "SLYTHERIN!" much like it had done James right before him.

Snape smirked and walked to the Slytherin table, receiving the applause rather well. He sat down and for an instant shot a regretful look to someone across the room.

"Greasy git, isn't he?" James asked. "He's actually _happy_ to be in Slytherin. He's a well-fitting bloke for it too; nearly knocked my mum down on the platform and didn't even apologize."

Sirius sensed there was more to James's dislike than just Snape's lack of manners, but he did not press the subject.

"You don't even _know_ him, Potter!" Lily defended him.

James looked her questioningly.

"And you do? He's a _Slytherin_," James replied, saying it as though it was a deadly sin.

"And you're a hypocrite," Lily fired back.

Sirius looked between James and Lily, trying to decide if James was in the process of falling in love with her or resisting the urge to punch her in the face.

"No one asked you anyway, _Evans_," James spat in a tone that only purebloods could pull off successfully.

Lily rolled her eyes.

"Just lay off of him, Potter."

"And if I don't?" James challenged.

Lily leaned towards him, her expression dangerous.

"Just lay off of him."

James opened his mouth to say more, but the sorting had ended and Professor Dumbledore had stood up. He looked out across the student body, his blue eyes twinkling. His eyes rested on Sirius for a few seconds, and Sirius could have sworn he saw admiration flash across his face.

"Welcome to another year at Hogwarts," he said. "There are just a few things to go over before we being our marvelous feast. The Forbidden Forest, as the name says, is forbidden to _all _students. Mr. Filch has a list of banned items; you should take note of them, and you may have noticed something different about the grounds when you arrived. Over the summer, there has been a whomping willow tree planted. All students are banned from going anywhere near it, for one wrong move could end in tragedy. Use caution when you absolutely _have _to be around it. Additionally, we have a new addition to our staff: Professor Brady had gladly agreed to fill the vacant Defense Against the Dark Arts position. Please give him a warm Hogwarts welcome."

The student body erupted in applause.

"And with that, let's eat!"

The student body and the staff immediately began piling their plates high with food that had just appeared, the buzz of the new school year pulsating in the air. A group of four newly sorted Gryffindor boys laughed and talked and began their new friendship that would one day be known as the infamous Marauders.

Hogwarts was not aware of what was in store for it over the next seven years.

* * *

**A/N: Wow. This was completely unexpected. I was watching television (hah. baseball is so NOT the American past time-watching television is) the other day and the first few lines of this just hit me and would not leave me alone until I typed it. Then I couldn't stop working on it. I thought about it constantly, and the two days without a computer was absolute torture. Nonetheless, I've finally finished it. This is meant to be a one-shot, but with enough interest/my own interest, it could possibly develop into a longer story about the Marauders' time at Hogwarts. Who knows... it's a future possibility, but for now my focus is on Raising the Boy Who Lived.**

**Anyways, thank you for reading and please review.**


End file.
